Saber shifter

Chapter one (edited)

From the sun-warmed rock, I watched the deer frolic just out of reach. They knew I was there. They were showing me their agility and strength. I wasn't hungry, so I decided not to show the creatures what real strength was. My massive paws tingled as I stretched, tawny pelt sliding over long legs and muscles. Two enormous yellow teeth gleamed in the sunlight as I yawned, body stretched limp over the large stone.

My name is Magenta. I'm a sabertooth cat shifter. Big. Strong. Dominant... but alone.

I'm the last of my species. Born from my tiger shifter dam, sired by a wolf and left to die when I was four. Yet I survived.

I have claimed my own territory, one with plenty of prey and clean water. A house was conveniently hidden nearby for when I was human.

Yet I wasn't completely alone.

A low growl snapped me out of a day-dreaming daze. My ears twitched and I turned towards the sound.

Young Leo gazed up at me with pleading eyes. I rumbled pleasantly in the depths of my powerful chest as I stood, stretching before I launched off the warm rock and padded over the grass beside him. <Are we hungry now?> I projected into his mind with a gentle chuff.

His amber eyes seemed to glow, liquid gold in that fierce face. <Yes- I am! You let those deer wander off, and I really wanted one...>

I saved Leo from a pack of ravaging werewolves. The pure lion cub wouldn't have survived if I hadn't intervened. Yes... I knew he was just a wild animal. He was so tiny, so fragile, and they had already eaten his pride. I killed them and took him with me. That was three years ago, and he is already shifting into a nice young lion.

The touch of his sharp claws scraping down my sides broke me out into awareness again, and I shook the shaggy, playful male off of my spine. <Let's go then- and get that big stag.> I barked out a low, dominating growl. He loped off and lowered his head submissively to me, following after a moment as I stalked down the deertrail.

The stag was dead. It was torn into pieces, and the bloody sockets stared up at us, the eyes missing.

Something was wrong. The strong stench of werewolf and tiger hung limply in the air. I sniffed carefully, and stiffened. <We need to leave. Leo- go, we're under attack, they're... wait.>

He watched me warily as I scented the air more thoroughly, mouth open to better categorize the smells. <They're...>

<Heading for the den!> Leo barked, mane and hackles suddenly wild as understanding fell on his shoulders with the sudden impact of an anvil.

<Our best chance is to run.> I nudged his side and set off at a fast lope. I checked our speed as we went, ears swivelling back and forth.

We neared the edge of my territory within the hour. Our positions shifted at my rumbled command with the smaller lion leading and myself running behind. He glanced back, curious, but turned to keep moving at my sharp chuff. My keen eyes were in better position to scan the undergrowth and my teeth were ready for anything that would set itself on my tiny pride, but explaining would take energy better spent on the hunt and there was no need for my orders to be questioned.

We ran for another six hours before I let the both of us rest. Leo, eager as ever, found a cave deep enough for our large, tired bodies. I concealed the entrance and Leo cleaned his hot paws in water that dripped from the stalactites and formed into a tiny pond. Finally I let myself slip into dream land.